


Mistletoe

by AvarieNiceDay



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Party, Dean Winchester Uses Actual Words, First Kiss, Fluff, It's really just a fun Christmas fic, M/M, Merry Christmas!, Mistletoe, Slight Rowena/Sam as well, Sorry but I loved Maggie, slight maggie/jack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 08:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21966178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvarieNiceDay/pseuds/AvarieNiceDay
Summary: The Winchester's have a Christmas party. Rowena enchants a mistletoe. Dean nearly has a coronary.Just a fun and fluffy Christmas fic!
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 5
Kudos: 109





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> okay, this fic is not to be taken super seriously. Set in a kind of ambiguous time period after the AU hunters have come over. 
> 
> Just a fun Christmasy fic, so enjoy!

Dean was going to kill Rowena. 

He knew inviting a freaking witch into their lives was going to bite him in the ass eventually. Especially one as pretentious and thoroughly conceited as Rowena; insisting on enchanting things that had no business being enchanted and all around inserting herself into personal matters that were none of her damn business.

“Sam,” Dean growled, fingers itching towards the knife in his boot as he crossed the room towards the witch. “She can’t do this!”

Sam took a jerk step back, pinching his lips together to hold his laughter as Rowena folded her arms primly over her chest and stepped around him. 

“I bloody well can.” She declared, bold and presumptuous as she stood in the dim lighting of the bunker’s library. 

Dean took another intimidating step forward, attempting to glare her down. She merely smiled in response, blood-red lips stretching over her pearly canines and setting just the faintest sense of danger- just a hint of the real power she contained within her tiny frame.

“Alright-” Sam let out an exasperated sigh and stepped between them, effectively cutting their tension with his arms raised. “Is this really that big of a deal, Dean?”

“Yes!” His brother nearly shouted in response, voice echoing off the cold concrete walls, forcing a flinch out of Sam. “It’s completely uncalled for and this is  _ our home _ Sam- not hers. She can’t just come in here and start putting her hoodoo all over everything, it’s- it’s sacrilegious!” 

Rowena let out a peal of laughter, eyes cast towards the ceiling. “Stop being such a drama queen!”

“Seriously, Dean.” Sam concurred, looking between them with an amusement that was becoming harder to hide at his brother’s impetuous and bizarre anger. “She’s just trying to have a little fun. God- or uh, someone- knows we could use it.”

“I don’t find it fun.” Dean grumbled, jaw set in irritation even as he visibly released some of the tension from his shoulders. “I don’t find it fun  _ at all. _ ”

“What are you so scared of, dearie?” Rowena sing-songed as she stepped around Sam again, her long purple gown brushing against the tiled floor in a quiet hush. 

“I’m not scared.” Dean shot back, face hard and carefully blank. “I just think it’s a stupid, pointless idea- and it could be dangerous!” 

“It’s an enchanted mistletoe, Dean, not a live grenade.” Sam countered, tracking Rowena with his eyes as she swept around a table, returning to the spellwork they had been engaged with before Dean’s interruption. 

“Yeah, well, what if- if-” Dean stammered, fully aware that he was losing ground. “What if you ended up under it with Bobby, hm? Or worse- mom!” 

Rowena leveled an unimpressed look at him over a handful of sage she was picking at, throwing leaves into a large wooden bowl before her. “As enjoyable as that would be for, well, no one- I do have certain parameters in place. I’m not completely evil, love.” 

Dean raised a doubtful eyebrow, Rowena flicked a flaming curl over shoulder. 

“If it would be inappropriate to kiss the person on the lips, you’ll get by with a peck on the cheek.” 

“See?” Sam stepped up beside her, handing over a vial of something thick and red. “Now will you relax- this party is supposed to be for Jack, Dean. His first Christmas- I mean this whole thing was really your idea.” 

Dean blanched, pulling a disgusted face. “I did not have the idea to whammy people into making out. I was thinking more along the lines of eggnog and Christmas music and maybe spiking the punch- not this weird ass magic crap.” 

“Mistletoe is a pretty traditional part of Christmas parties, Dean.” Sam replied, reaching across the table that was now separating them and placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “Just, chill out. It’s going to be a good time, I promise.” 

Dean deflated a bit, looking annoyed but thoroughly defeated. “Fine. Do whatever you want. But I’m staying far away from that thing.” 

“We’ll see about that.” Rowena winked and silently indicated for Sam to turn the page in the book that was open before them. 

Dean gave his brother one last withering look. “If this all goes south, it’s one hundred percent on you, Dumbledore.” 

Sam chuckled and shook his head, sprinkling something in their bowl that made the contents hiss and smoke. “Alright, Dean. You want help hanging lights in the war room when I’m done here?” 

\----

Dean had kept his promise of spiking the punch, mostly out of spite- to prove that his ideas of fun were way better than Rowena’s. So far, he was failing in that regard. For one, most of the people they had invited- Mom and Bobby, Jody, Donna and the girls, and a smattering of hunters, both from the apocalypse world and their own- were of legal drinking age. Those that weren’t were, well, hunters. They’d seen enough to age them fifty years anyways. And, to his great chagrin, Rowena’s little mistletoe had proven to be the superior idea of fun for this crowd. Apparently everyone else found it amusing rather than disturbing and anxiety inducing. 

Some were intentionally getting themselves caught under it. Dean had begun to lose count of the number of tipsy, fumbling couples had ‘accidentally’ wound up underneath it, only to be whooped and whistled at until they locked lips for the crowd. 

Dean had spent the majority of the evening skulking around the perimeter of the room, making sure to steer as clear of the enchanted object as possible, while also getting as drunk as he felt was safe. 

“You afraid of cooties?” Claire had taunted him as she nursed her third cup of spiked cranberry fruit punch, nudging him in the ribs.

Dean glared at her and snatched her drink away. “I think you’ve had enough.” 

Claire rolled her eyes and leaned back against the wall beside him. “You know this is supposed to be fun, right? Do you remember what fun is?” 

“I’m plenty fun.” Dean pointedly shot back the entirety of Claire’s drink and crushed the fragile styrofoam in his fist. 

Claire raised her brows in mock awe. “Oh. Wow. You showed me.” She scoffed and sauntered back to the punchbowl, silently ‘cheersing’ him with her new cup from across the room. 

Dean scoffed, throwing the crushed styrofoam in the nearest trash can and leaning back against the wall beside it. He kicked his feet out in front of him and crossed his ankles as he scanned the room. Jack was looking a little pink in the face and nodding too vigorously along to something Alex was saying. Jody was chatting up some guy she had caught under the mistletoe earlier, laughing a little too loudly. Sam was crowded up close beside Rowena under the doorway, heads tilted close as they conversed quietly about something that appeared private. 

Cas caught his eye from across the room where he was engaged in what looked to be a rather boring conversation with Bobby and Mary. His mouth turned up in recognition, head tilting in silent communication. Dean gave a short shrug and shoved his hands into his pockets. Cas ticked an eyebrow up in question and Dean pursed his lips, eyes flickering to the mistletoe high above the room. Cas let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head before refocusing his attention on Bobby. 

Dean felt his face flush as he cast his eyes towards the ground. Maybe he was being silly. Realistically he knew it wouldn’t be terrible if he happened to accidentally wander under the thing and have to kiss someone. The problem was there was only one person he  _ wanted _ to kiss- and he most definitely didn’t want to do it in a room full of people. If he hadn’t managed the courage to do it on his own after all this time, it hardly seemed appropriate that some enchanted piece of magic shit be the thing to give the final push. 

He let himself slump further against the wall briefly before pushing away to get himself another drink. If he got enough alcohol in him, he’d stop worrying over the whole thing eventually.

He was scooping punch with a ladle, back turned to the room, when everyone erupted into wolf-whistles and shouting. Knowing this had been the standard procedure whenever two people had wandered under the mistletoe, Dean turned with some apprehension. He caught only a glimpse of his mom and Bobby’s profiles before whipping back around, feeling his stomach churn vaguely. Amidst the shouting of the room he threw back a full glass before refilling his cup again and wandering back across the room, using the outer wall as a guideline. 

“I did not need to see that.” Sam grimaced as Dean neared him and Rowena, crowded together under the large, stone doorway. 

“You rethinking that monstrosity now, huh?” Dean clipped, gesturing a little wildly at him with his drink and nearly sloshing it over the floor.

“You drinking enough to peck up the courage to drag someone under there, dearie?” Rowena shot back, face simperingly sweet and fake as she batted her eyes innocently at him. Sam hid a smile behind his hand and ducked his head.

“You-” Dean started, eyes narrowed at her as he wavered slightly on the spot. “You witch.” 

“Oooh, good one. I’m quivering in my heels.” 

Dean scoffed and moved away from them, watching from the corner of his eye as Sam fell into her in a fit of laughter. 

There was another eruption of noise from the room and Dean turned instinctively, just in time to see Jack pulled into a chaste peck on the lips by Maggie. 

“What the…” Dean couldn’t help the confused chuckle that burst out of him at the look on Jack’s face as he pulled away. 

“Jack could do worse than Maggie.” A familiar voice beside him brought Dean around. Cas was leaning casually against the wall next to him, a glass of creamy eggnog in his hand and smiling at Jack’s flushed face. 

Dean grunted in agreement and took up the space next to him, tipping his hip against the wall so his side was pressed lightly against it, facing Cas.

“So you don’t want to accidentally wander under the mistletoe?” Cas voiced Dean’s earlier silent communication and sipped nonchalantly at his drink.

“You like that?” Dean was watching him critically- Cas always politely accepted any food and drink that Dean offered him, but he had never seen him make much of an effort to actually consume it. 

Cas looked down at the drink and ticked his shoulder up in a slight shrug. “It’s not entirely unpleasant. It’s more for appearances, though.” He took a moment to glance around the room full of people. “I don’t think this particular crowd is too fond of my kind,” his eyes settled back onto Dean, head tilting towards the wall in order to look at him properly, “I try to do as much as I can to appear more normal to them. I’ve found it puts them at ease.” 

Dean blinked slowly at him, caught up, as he often was, in his blue eyes- a hint darker in the dim light of the bunker than they were in natural sunlight. He knew the hunters they had rescued from the apocalypse world were skittish and riddled with PTSD, but he had never noticed any of them being wary over Cas. The angel was good at appearing human, though. Hell, even Dean too often forgot that he was a supernatural creature capable of smiting them all to dust if he was ever so inclined. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” Cas reminded as quiet seconds ticked by. He tore his eyes away from Dean with something that resembled nerves as he sipped at his drink again. 

Dean was silent for a moment, fingering the rim of his styrofoam cup where he held it loosely at his side, biting contemplatively at his lip. “I mean, most of these people are like family to me,” he glanced around the room at Sam, Claire, Alex, Jody and Donna, his mom and Bobby, “and the rest well, like you said- I think those guys have been through enough. I’m not about to start putting the moves on any of them.” 

Cas’ face fell almost imperceptibly before he picked it back up, forcing a glint in his eyes. “There always Rowena.” 

Dean doubled over against the wall, holding his stomach as he felt his eyes water. “Christ, Cas. Yeah- I think Sammy would have my head.” 

Cas smiled softly at him as his laughter bled away. Dean wiped the tears from his eyes and threw back the rest of his drink, tossing it into a garbage can a few feet away. Somehow, the two of them had shifted closer together throughout the course of their conversation; Cas still had his back against this wall, but his body was angled towards him and Dean need only extend the fingers of his arm leaning against the wall and he would be brushing against the material of his coat. It felt almost magnetic. 

“Donna, then?” Cas proposed, hiding a smirk behind his cup as he took another drink. 

Dean felt a wide smiling crawling over his face as he slumped further against the wall, beginning to feel like it was the only thing holding him up. “Donna? Nah-” he made a dismissive motion with his hand stopped short, remembering her cabin up in Minnesota where he had built the Ma’lak box. “Though, I think we do have the same taste in-” He cut himself off, biting his lips together nervously. He often forgot how loose lipped he could get when he drank. Especially around Cas. He always felt his guard crumbling down. 

“Same taste in what?” Cas prompted, head tilted curiously as he ducked his head and shifted closer. 

Dean straightened himself a bit, shaking his head minutely to clear it and tapped a finger against his thigh, thinking. Though his mind was admittedly pretty foggy from the alcohol, he couldn’t seem to produce any solid excuse to no let Cas in on his best-kept secret to date. He was too old to be worrying over that crap anymore, really. He had saved the world more than once, had died and come back again more times than he could count, spent time as a literal demon, and hopped across multiple dimensions- what was there really to be scared of anymore? Part of him was so tired from keeping it in. 

“Donna’s cabin, it was full of posters of half-naked cowboys.” Dean finally replied, suddenly very interested in the scuffed tile under his foot. 

Cas was quiet as he mulled over this information. “Cowboys?” He spoke slowly, brown drawn together. “You and Donna have the same taste in cowboys?”

Dean bit back a laugh, squaring his shoulders as he met his eyes with a firmer resolution. “Uh, no. It had more to do with the fact that they were shirtless.” 

Cas continued to look faintly puzzled and dean huffed out an exasperated sigh. He was really going to make him spell it out, huh?

“Guys, Cas. We have the same taste in men.” 

“Ah,” Cas let out a quiet noise of understanding, and if Dean didn’t know any better he could swear he was looking a little flushed, “so maybe Roger, then?” He nodded towards one of the hunters across the room.

“Now you’re just being dumb on purpose.” Dean flashed him a smile that was all teeth and pushed himself away from the wall. “Maybe you should lay off the eggnog, you’re looking a little hot under the collar, buddy.” He cuffed his shoulder and winked deliberately, running his tongue over his lip before catching it between his teeth. 

Cas blinked several times and shook his head before tilting it in curiosity. Parsing out the intricacies of human interactions had never been his forte, but he was ninety-percent sure that was supposed to be taken as a flirtation. Before he could shift through his muddled thoughts for an appropriate response, however, they were interrupted by Rowena’s teasing voice, ringing across the room with a jarring clarity.

“Oi! If you’re going to spend the night flirting anyways, you may as well relocate somewhere more appropriate, boys.” And she made a sweeping gesture with her glass of scotch where the mistletoe hung high above their heads.

Dean growled, face twitching and a blush crawling up over his sharp jaw. “Shove it, Rowena!” 

Her laughter twinkled over the room like bells, causing a chain reaction throughout. Those who weren’t outright laughing as well were snickering behind their drinks or attempting to purse their lips through a grin. 

“You shouldn’t tease them.” A small voice, only distinguishable since the room had gone quiet around the subdued laughter, spoke from somewhere near the curved staircase. 

Dean spun on his heel to locate the speaker, peering through the crowd to see Maggie, looking back at them with a scrunched brow and irritation crowding over her soft features.

“Some couples find public displays of affection uncomfortable, Rowena,” she continued, the volume of her voice dimming as she realized everyone was now staring at her, “you should leave them alone…” 

A complacent murmur traveled around the room, some nods of agreement and people looking sheepish as they diverted their eyes. 

Dean turned to Cas, who was stone still and silent; stuck to the wall as if he’d been glued there. His blue eyes were wider than usual and staring past him distractedly.

“Wha-,” Dean looked to Rowena, who was biting her lips smugly.

“Cat’s out, I’m afraid.” She simpered, meeting the confusion plastered on his face with tempered amusement. 

Dean felt his head start to spin with as their implications sunk in as he searched for the response everyone appeared to be waiting for.

“Does everyone think…?” He let his question trail off as his gaze settled on Cas again.

He appeared to have finally shaken himself out of his stupor, taking a short, jerky step forward and placing a warm hand on Dean’s forearm. 

“It doesn’t matter, Dean.” Cas’ voice was low, face tipped towards him so only he could hear. “Don’t let it bother you.” 

Dean let him stay in his space, soaking up his anxiety like a sponge and leaving him feeling only slightly dazed and embarrassed.

“Did you,” Dean cleared his throat and shuffled a bit closer, drawn in by his proximity. “Did you know? That they all think we’re…?”

Cas’ face flushed unmistakably this time, easier to see so close to him, and Dean nearly laughed at the foreign look of it on him.

“I have angelic hearing, Dean,” he murmured, eyes cast to the ground and hand still unconsciously gripping Dean’s sleeve, “they talk about it frequently.”

“Right.” Dean pulled back gently, noticing the room had gone deadly silent as everyone pretended not to stare at them. He locked eyes with Rowena, who was nearly vibrating with restrained mirth. “I will not step foot under that voodoo piece of shit.” He declared, waving vaguely in the direction of the cursed mistletoe.

Cas was beginning to look frantic. “Dean, it’s fine,” he supplicated, reaching for his arm again but Dean dodged him, “just let it go.” 

“Cas.” Dean sighed, fixing the angel with a soft look. 

It was probably mostly the alcohol working through him, and definitely had something to do with the fact that everyone already seemed to think they were in a relationship, because suddenly the whole Thing between him and Cas didn’t seem that scary anymore. He had spent too much of his time worrying over something that was apparently openly obvious to people who were virtual strangers. Enough was enough, really.

Cas’ eyes had gone wide; blue and freckled and acutely tinged with anxiety- which did nothing to detract from their ethereal intensity. If there were a feature of Cas’ Dean had to pick as his favorite, it would definitely be his eyes. Or maybe his mouth. That soft, pink curve of his lips that seemed to be pulled into a perpetual frown- barring those too few times he had seen his face light up with real joy. Dean thought it was a shame he didn’t get to see it more often.

Somewhere during his internal soliloquy, Dean’s brain to body filter must have short circuited, as he suddenly found himself crowding Cas back against the wall, rough pad of his thumb running over his bottom lip. Cas’ breathing was staccatoed, lips parted in shock and fists clenched tightly at his sides; as if afraid to loosen them lest he surrender to the desire to grip the closest part of Dean and pull him forward. 

Dean could almost feel his inner struggle, the usual tension between them somehow expanding and insinuating into every space where they weren’t touching, silently pleading for them to fill the gap. He let a slow smile slide over his face; something warm and just a little predatory.

“You okay, Cas?” He asked, letting his hand slip from his mouth to trace the sharp line of his jaw. Where his fingers dragged, little rivulets of voltaic energy chased across Cas’ skin, causing him to suck in a sharp breath. 

“Dean-” he started, stuttering when Dean let his hand slide into the hair at the nape of his neck. 

Dean licked his lips and kept his focus on Cas’ face, room full of people around them all but forgotten as he was distracted by the line of his neck working around a nervous swallow. “You said they talk about us?” Cas nodded jerkily, eyes slamming closed as Dean leaned forward further and let his mouth brush against his ear. “You wanna give ‘em something to really talk about?” 

Dean pulled back in concern when he felt Cas’ breathing full-on stop. He brought his other hand to the juncture of his neck and shoulder, rubbing it gently and attempting to soothe him. Cas blinked rapidly, eyes refocusing on Dean’s face and breath coming back in a rush. 

“I’m gonna need at least a little participation here, man,” Dean chuckled softly as Cas nearly melted into his touch, “you okay?” 

Cas nodded again, slower this time, keeping his eyes on Dean’s. Dean shifted the hand that was at his neck into his hair and tightened his grip just a bit, earning a slight gasp. He let his other hand trail from Cas’ shoulder to his waist, slipping under his open coat and rubbing a thumb over his sharp hip bone. Cas was still looking a little wild-eyed; pupils blown incredulously and breathing erratic. 

Dean held him as he was for a moment, his movements slow and deliberate as he inched closer, until their individual breaths were indistinguishable. 

Cas made a thin sound in the back of his throat; something disbelieving and a little desperate. Dean breathed out a curse before pressing forward gently, just brushing their mouths together, barely touching. He pulled back slowly, carefully, and suddenly Cas was surging forward as if afraid that was all Dean was going to give him. His hands fisted in the back of Dean’s shirt, and Dean tightened his hold against his hip, pressing him further into the wall to control his erratic movement and eliciting a frustrated growl. 

Dean smiled against his lips, the hand in his hair tugging hard until Cas’ mouth fell open in a quiet moan, allowing him to slide his tongue past.

“Woah, okay- break it up!” Came a sharp order from Sam, effectively interrupting them and causing Dean to stiffen and step away. Cas’ face was deeply red, his lips wet from the brief touch of Dean’s tongue. Dean groaned quietly before forcing himself to turn his attention to his brother. 

“What?” 

“This is- I mean- good, but,” Sam gesticulated helplessly around the room, looking more than a little scarred by their theatrics, “maybe tone it down a bit? Or take it somewhere else, at least.” 

“Right.” Dean smirked, trying to control his breathing as he ignored the room silently and openly gaping at them. His eyes flicked back to Cas, who was staring at the ground with something like confusion and a little sadness chasing around the edges. Dean frowned, extending a hand to push up under his jaw, forcing him to look at him.

“You okay?” It was starting to worry him how many times he’d had to ask.

Cas pursed his lips and pushed away from the wall, gently tipping away from Dean’s touch and schooling his features into something blank and careful. 

“Fine.” Cas tugged at the collar of his coat, straightening it out and cast a short, dismissive glance at Dean before stalking purposefully across the room.

“Uh…” Dean watched him go, confusion ebbing through him. He felt Sam clamp a hand on his shoulder, giving him a slight shake. 

“I think you need to go talk to him.” 

Dean looked up at his brother, eyes wide and perturbed. “What the hell just happened?”

Sam let out a derisive chuckle. “I’m pretty sure Cas thinks you were trying to put on a show for everyone. Ya know, to get back at them for thinking you’re a couple. Which is all kinds of stupid and totally sounds like something you’d do, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what you were aiming for, hm?”

“Wha-?” Dean looked around the room dazedly, but everyone seemed to have moved on from the incident, all chatting animatedly with each other again. Cas had sequestered himself to the far corner of the room, flanked by two women the names of who Dean couldn’t quite place at the moment. “No, of course not!” 

Sam squeezed his shoulder briefly before letting his hand drop. “Yeah, didn’t think so.”

Dean could feel his face heating up- in misplaced anger or proper embarrassment, he wasn’t quite sure. He ran a hand slow over his face, exhaling loudly against his palm. “Why am I such shit at this, Sammy?”

“I’ve seen worse, dear.” Rowena piped in, peeking around Sam’s elbow and fixing Dean with a consoling look.

“Don’t you-” Dean choked out, pointing an accusing finger at her. “This is all your fault, anyway.”

“Please,” Rowena rolled her eyes. “You’ve been waiting for a proper excuse to get your hands all over that awful trench coat for ages. I just provided the necessary catalyst.” 

“Dean, you just need to  _ talk  _ to him,” he interrupted the obvious rebuttal on his brother’s tongue, giving him an imploring look, “just explain, you know.  _ Use your words _ .”

“Right.” Dean nodded firmly to himself. “Words,” he cleared his throat anxiously, “I can- I can do that. No problem.” 

“Great.” Sam gave him an encouraging smile that dissolved to concern as soon as his back was turned. “Are we making bets on this?” He leaned down to whisper to Rowena.

She smiled behind her hand and shook her head. “No, he’ll be fine. Have some faith, love.” 

“Cas can I talk to you,” Dean spared a sideways glance at the two women still talking with the angel, “uh, alone, please?” 

Cas’ eyes were narrowed defensively, but he turned to the women. “Would you mind?” 

They shook their heads but backed away slowly, taking up post not far away in obvious hopes of eavesdropping on their conversation. Dean threw them an annoyed glance before turning back to Cas’ stony face. 

“What is it, Dean?” 

Dean shot him a nervous grin, shifting his feet. “Uhm, I just wanted- uh- I didn’t mean- um, before,” Dean swore and stilled his hands as they were moving along jerkily with his words, vainly attempting to underscore whatever bizarre point he was trying to make. 

“Dean, it’s fine. I understand. You don’t have to explain anything.” Cas couldn’t make himself meet his eyes, face falling into a grimace before he managed to control his features again. “I will admit that I find some human tendencies to shock and awe their audience as an act of retribution rather befuddling, but I understand that was your ultimate goal. I will spare you of an awkward discussion regarding the fact.” 

Dean mouth snapped closed, teeth clicking uncomfortably with the motion. 

“It’s not about that.” He ground out- and  _ wow  _ one full coherent sentence. He might actually be getting somewhere. 

Cas tilted his head in that stupidly endearing way of his and Dean just about forwent his futile search for  _ words _ in exchange for kissing that confused look off his stupid face. But that wouldn’t really solve anything. 

“I wasn’t trying to avoid kissing  _ everyone _ ,” Dena restarted, backtracking to their conversation from earlier and hoping that Cas would follow his train of thought, “by staying away from Rowena’s stupid plant, I mean.” 

Cas glanced up at the mistletoe, still hanging unassumingly over their heads. “They’re actually a parasite.” He supplied, voice flat in that accidentally funny way of his and Dean couldn’t help but let out a burst of surprised laughter. 

“See,” Dean’s voice went soft as his laughter peeled away, looking up at Cas with crinkled eyes that he hoped spoke at least somewhat for him, “this, man. You’re-” The words caught in his throat again, sticky and warm and making his chest feel constricted. 

Cas regarded him carefully for a moment, holding his gaze and letting his own eyes soften at whatever he found there. “So… you did want to kiss someone- just not under the mistletoe?” 

Dean let out a short sight of relief- leave it to Cas to understand what he means even when he sucks at explaining himself. “Yeah, exactly.” 

“Could you-” Cas caught his words, pulling them back self-consciously. He licked his lips in thought. “Will you explain a little more thoroughly for me?” 

Dean nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. “I don’t need the encouragement,” Dean started, absently aware of the heat he could feel flooding his face, “I- I wouldn’t want you to think that I only did  _ that  _ because of some enchantment… that I wouldn’t just do it on my own anyways.”

Cas’ lips twitched, inching into a smile. “You wanted it to be a natural occurrence- not dictated or corrupted by a magically enhanced parasite?” 

“Yeah, man. Pretty much.” Dean rubbed at the back of his neck, ducking his head in embarrassment. 

“Would you…” Cas’ voice trailed away in uncertainty. He let his eyes flicker over the room, taking not that everyone had once again turned their full attention on them. He cleared his throat anxiously and solidified his resolve, narrowing his focus on Dean. “Be interested in doing it again?” 

Dean bit his lip through a harsh chuckle. “Uh- I mean, yeah.” He tipped his body a bit closer, swaying into Cas’ personal space and lowering his voice. “But maybe without the rapt audience?”

“The audience didn’t seem to bother you before.” Cas pointed out, smirking.

“That was more of an ‘in-the-moment’ thing.”

“And it had nothing to do with trying to prove a point with unnecessary shock value?” Cas arched an eyebrow above one blue eye, voice light though the underlying question held a note of apprehension.

“Of course not- I mean,” Dean shrugged, “maybe a little bit for the shock value, but mostly because I thought it was the perfect in. I mean, if they all already think we’re… then why shouldn’t we?” 

Cas’ face tipped into a frown. “Because you want to- not because everyone thinks we should.” 

“I do,” Dean rushed out, “I just meant that it made all of my reasons behind not doing it kind of… moot.” 

“I understand,” Cas fixed him with a searching look, “things become somewhat arbitrary when any previously perceived importance set upon a reason not to do something becomes suddenly irrelevant.” 

“Uh,” Dean bit his lip unconsciously and reached out a hand to brush over Cas’ arm. “It’s all kinds of hot when you use those big words, Cas- even though I’m not really sure what you just said.” 

Cas’ eyes went wide at the compliment, blush spreading high over his cheeks and Dean laughed. 

“I think everyone can handle the rest of the night without us, huh?” Dean made a vague motion towards the hallway that led to his bedroom, eyebrows raised suggestively.

Cas seemed unable to form a coherent response, mouth opening and closing several times with no sound coming out. 

Dean leaned closer, his chest lightly brushing the buttons on Cas’ coat and dipping his head to speak into his ear. “Might be even hotter when you’re speechless, Angel.” Cas sucked in a sharp breath and Dean pulled back, entwined their hands and gave him an encouraging tug. “Come on.” 

Cas stumbled over his own feet as he followed him, face bright red and disbelieving. 

“Rowena,” Sam turned to the redhead as he watched the two of them disappear, “do you know any soundproofing spells?” 

“Oh, none strong enough to guard your innocent ears from what those two will be up to, Samuel.” She replied, hiding her unapologetic smile around the rim of her whiskey glass as she watched Sam’s face go pale and sickly. 

“Great.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought! 
> 
> Thank you :)


End file.
